nmap_logo

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a powerful open-source tool used for network discovery and security auditing. 🕵️‍♂️💻

Key Features

  • Port Scanning: Identify open ports on target systems.
  • Service Detection: Discover active services and their versions.
  • OS Fingerprinting: Determine the operating system of a remote host.
  • Vulnerability Assessment: Integrate with NSE (Nmap Scripting Engine) for automated checks.

Use Cases

  • Network Inventory: Map out your network's active devices.
  • Security Testing: Test firewalls and identify potential weaknesses.
  • Topology Discovery: Visualize network structure for analysis.

Installation

For Linux: 

sudo apt-get install nmap  # Debian/Ubuntu  
sudo yum install nmap      # CentOS/RHEL

For Windows: Download from official site

Basic Commands

nmap -sP 192.168.1.0/24       # Ping scan  
nmap -sT 10.0.0.1              # TCP connect scan  
nmap -sU 172.16.0.0/16         # UDP scan  
nmap -sV 192.168.1.1           # Service version detection

Advanced Techniques

  • OS Detection: nmap -O
  • Script Scanning: nmap --script http-title 127.0.0.1
  • Custom Scans: Use nmap.xml for tailored configurations.

Security Tips

⚠️ Always ensure you have explicit permission before scanning networks.

  • Avoid scanning public networks without authorization.
  • Use Nmap responsibly for ethical hacking and system management.

For deeper insights into port scanning, visit our Port Scanning Tutorial.

network_scanning
security_tools